James Heneghan

Justin Edinburgh was in no mood to celebrate confirmation of Northampton’s survival on Saturday as he berated his side’s ‘inept’ performance in their 3-0 defeat to Bury, insisting ‘it will not happen again’.

James Vaughan fired Bury ahead inside three minutes and it got no better from then on for the Cobblers who were lacklustre and below-par throughout.

I’ve told the players that the performance today will not be happening under my reign anymore.

George Miller headed in a second after half-time before Vaughan’s injury-time third rubbed salt into Northampton’s wounds.

“It’s pure frustration,” he admitted. “It was the worst performance in terms of the way we conceded goals.

“Credit to Bury because it was a very big game for them but we gifted them a goal in 90 seconds.

“There will be changes, We’ve accomplished what I was brought in to do and keep this club in the division which was obviously the priority and we’ve done that with a game to spare.

“But I’ve told the players that the performance today will not be happening under my reign anymore.

“I can only apologise to the supporters because we’re in a privileged profession and there are many people who would go to great lengths to be a professional footballer and what we produced today can’t happen at this football club again.”

Edinburgh is aware big changes are needed in the summer and he will not be afraid to make them after the defeat at Bury followed disappointing displays against Millwall and Shrewsbury.

“I think the first goal summed us up,” he added. “From a goal-kick we allowed the ball to bounce, we didn’t make contact and the player runs through and scores - you’d be disappointed if you saw that in U15s football, let alone professional football.

“So that was frustrating. There wasn’t much in the game but we’ve been poor and the second goal is two free headers in our six-yard box and the third just sums up our afternoon.”